Judge sends ‘manipulative’ Northampton stalker to prison for attempting to strangle partner

A man, who has pleaded guilty to stalking and assaulting a former partner, has been described as “controlling” and “abusive” throughout the relationship - a court has heard.

Meshach Clement-Graham, aged 27, of Gladstone Road, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday, April 4 after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stalking and two counts of breaching a non-molestation order.

The court heard that Clement-Graham, after entering into a relationship with the victim, bombarded her with 80 calls in a single night before turning up at her house with scissors and threatening to harm himself if she did not let him in.

Clement-Graham was subsequently sentenced to a two year community order and remanded into custody as he breached a number of domestic violence protection orders in committing these offences.

Upon his release from prison, Clement-Graham reconnected with the victim and the cycle of abuse started again, the court heard.

Emma Fielding, prosecuting, described how the defendant sent “hundreds of pages” of controlling and manipulative messages, threatening to kill himself and quickly becoming angry if she did not respond.

The court heard how Clement-Graham routinely stalked the victim to her workplace and when she was with friends - and even drove past or loitered outside her house to such an extent that neighbours noticed.

Ms Fielding said that, on one occasion when the couple were both in a car together, Clement-Graham drove really fast and refused to slow down. When the victim tried to escape the vehicle at a roundabout, the defendant sped off with the victim’s foot still trapped in the door.

On another occasion, Clement-Graham drove his vehicle in front of the victim to force her to engage with him.

Matters came to a head one evening when Clement-Graham accused the victim of cheating on him and attempted to strangle her, causing her to black out. When she came to, she claimed the defendant raised a knife that he used earlier to self-harm and then stabbed the bed next to her.

The victim was eventually able to escape and call the police from a neighbour’s house.

Clement-Graham was arrested and he gave a no comment interview to police. A knife was found at the side of his bed at his home address, the court heard.

The defendant has five previous convictions for seven offences - including battery of previous partners.

Divya Puri, in mitigation, said that Clement-Graham suffers with PTSD and emotionally unstable personality disorder. She said that learned behaviour and attachment issues resulting from the defendant’s abusive childhood may explain his offending behaviour.

She added: “He was clearly in a very poor state of mental health and, unfortunately, the victim was the person who came along and became a victim of his mental instability.”

The defence barrister argued that the victim was voluntarily engaging with Clement-Graham and they were “both bad for each other.” She said the defendant does not accept that the relationship was entirely forced on the victim.

Miss Recorder Levett described Clement Graham’s behaviour as “extremely manipulative and disturbing.”

Clement-Graham was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison. A restraining order was imposed for 10 years.